New Poll - Chinese Names in Japanese Manga
8 years ago
Posts: 833
I didn't vote because I find the question to be absurd.
I've noticed that usually in manga there is the Chinese pronunciation as okurigana on the kanzi. Usually in Japan though, people just don't know the Chinese reading and it's usually up to the Chinese person which pronunciation to use. Although I'm sure they would use the Chinese one 100% of the time when speaking with someone from a non-kanzi country in their respective language, e.g. in English. It's also worth noting that you can't always know even the pronunciation of a Japanese name unless you're told or you see the reading on a business card, etc.
As for using the Japanese reading for a Chinese name in an English translation, wouldn't that be the same as using the Japanese pronunciation on a Czech name in an English translation—to borrow an example from above posts. And that would not be either original "Praha" or the English "Prague" but "Puraha". Now wouldn't that be absurd? I think this poll is equally so.
Far-off places with sweet sounding names.
8 years ago
Posts: 786
I'm Chinese, so I'm biased, and I personally prefer the proper Chinese pronunciations regardless of the situation (as long as the character in question is ethnically Chinese, of course).
Though, honestly, most a lot of Chinese names made up by Japanese mangaka are pretty absurd. Syaoran's name, for instance, is (1) not spelled properly in any of the proper romanization practices for Chinese and (2) 小 is used in nicknames in Chinese (think the equivalent of "-chan"/"-kun"), not proper names. It is also extremely, extremely rare for a two-character Chinese surname in modern times, so unless the manga takes place in, like, ancient China, I do automatic spit-takes when I see a compound Chinese surname.
Regardless, I still prefer Chinese pronunciations (even when the name is, ugh, so wrong) because at least they're getting it, well, slightly less wrong.
8 years ago
Posts: 838
This would be situational. Keeping it the way the author made it makes sense in a Japanese setting or if the name was nonsense to begin with. Otherwise, it would sound as silly as an english name that has been badly translated. Do readers really want to read or hear a Michael as Mikaru or Maikuru?
8 years ago
Posts: 833
Quote from drunkguy
This would be situational. Keeping it the way the author made it makes sense in a Japanese setting or if the name was nonsense to begin with. Otherwise, it would sound as silly as an english name that has been badly translated. Do readers really want to read or hear a Michael as Mikaru or Maikuru ...
This is exactly why I called the poll absurd. Except... that would actually be "Maikeru".
Far-off places with sweet sounding names.
8 years ago
Posts: 402
Quote from 狂気
This is exactly why I called the poll absurd. Except... that would actually be "Maikeru".
Maybe you want to say that the first option of the poll is absurd? The poll itself brings up a very interesting issue and it's definitely something that should be discussed.
8 years ago
Posts: 833
No, I'm saying the whole premise is absurd. As I stated above, I don't think it's any different from place names. No person in their right mind would write プラハ as Puraha. And whether it's Praha or Prague doesn't even apply here as in both English and Chinese the Chinese names in Latin letters are written the same (although several variations exist). If there's clear right and wrong then I don't see the point in discussing which it is.
Far-off places with sweet sounding names.
